


Reluctant Companions

by celestialcollectionaus19



Series: Explore! Medieval Westeros Universe [2]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Gen, Modern Westeros, Talking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-11
Updated: 2016-07-11
Packaged: 2018-07-22 21:08:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 863
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7454026
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/celestialcollectionaus19/pseuds/celestialcollectionaus19
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Brienne makes an acquaintance on her flight to her new home, King's Landing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Reluctant Companions

**Author's Note:**

> Short one-shot set in the same universe as Explore! Medieval Westeros.

"Hey, do you mind helping me with this?" 

  


Brienne turned away from the window and met the gaze of a dwarf with blond hair and green eyes. "No, not at all," she said, ducking down to avoid bumping her head as she stood up. She helped him lift his suitcase into the luggage compartment and went back to her seat. 

  


"Thanks." He climbed into the seat next to her and picked up a magazine. "How long until they bring in the drinks, you think?" 

  


"Um. I don't drink." Brienne smiled sheepishly. "Sorry." 

  


"Oh, what a pity. To each their own, I guess." He shook his head and loosened his tie. "Hmm. Didn't remember it being so hot in here." 

  


Brienne shifted in her seat. "They usually turn it on soon after takeoff." She had looked forward to being alone on this trip. She needed these five hours to digest the fact that she had left her entire life behind in Lannisport in pursuing this job. She rummaged in her backpack until she found a pack of gum. It was the only remedy to the painful eardrum-popping that followed a takeoff and landing. "Would you like some?" she said politely to her companion. 

  


"Thank you." He popped a piece into his mouth. "If you don't mind me asking, why are you vacationing in King's Landing?" 

  


"I'm moving there, actually." Brienne explained briefly about the transfer. "And what about you?" she said, glancing at his tie and dress shirt. "Are you going there for business?" 

  


"Half-and-half. My uncle's sending me there to meet with someone. And then my dad wants me to visit my dear sister." He sighed. 

  


From his expression Brienne gathered that they didn't particularly get along. 

  


"I suppose we should introduce ourselves," he said after a pause. "No use continuing to talk without knowing what each other is called." He held out his hand. "Tyrion Lannister." 

  


Brienne shook his hand, though she felt it was somewhat formal for a casual meeting on an airplane. From his attire and words she guessed that he was a businessman, so perhaps he was adding yet another to his list of acquaintances. "I'm Brienne Tarth." 

  


"Like the island?" 

  


"Yeah, I grew up there." Hers was an old family - not as old and prestigious as the Lannisters, though, but former nobility all the same. Not that they had the money or anything to show for it. Their ancestral home had been confiscated centuries ago, during the revolution, and mostly destroyed, though she had heard that it was now visited by several hundred tourists every year. 

  


"The Sapphire Isle," mused Tyrion. "My father's going there." 

  


"Oh?"

  


"He's on a six-week tour across Westeros. Apparently they're going to be visiting all the medieval fortifications." 

  


"That sounds," Brienne searched for the word, "fascinating." 

  


He grinned. "It is, though I'm not sure I'd like to spend six weeks in a bus." 

  


A flight attendant walked up the aisle and stopped at their row. "You need to buckle up for takeoff, ser," she said to Tyrion. 

  


"Oh, I'm sorry. I'm afraid I forgot." He smiled at her and did as he was told. "When will you be bringing in the drinks?" 

  


"The drinks?" repeated the flight attendant, who did not look older than twenty. 

  


"Yes, sweetling, the drinks... You know, the ones that make you feel delightfully light-headed and oblivious." Brienne thought that the sentence could be employed to describe the girl as much as the drinks, at least in Tyrion's case. 

  


"We'll bring them in when the plane's stabilized. I'll - I'll remind my colleague." 

  


Tyrion grinned at her. "You do that, sweetling," he stared at her chest, reading off her name tag, "... Kyra. Lovely name, by the way."

  


"Thank - thank you, ser." She hurried away. 

  


Tyrion leaned back in his seat and sighed, his eyes lingering after her. "So, Brienne," he said lazily, "What do you do?" 

  


"I'm an occupational therapist. I work at a government-run hospital for vets." 

  


"And is your work rewarding?" said Tyrion, fixing her with his mismatched stare. 

  


"I suppose so. I like helping people." 

  


"Do you really? I've met many a businessman who uses that excuse to donate to countless charities. They want to help the unfortunate, they always tell me. Of course, they always end up helping themselves too. I guess everyone's like that." Tyrion looked at her. "I'm sorry. Am I offending you?" 

  


Brienne was feeling less irritated than she was expecting at this point, but decided to feign anger to be left alone. "Yes, you are," she snapped. "I take great pride in what I do. You won't take that away from me." She pulled out a magazine from the seat-back pocket and noisily creased its pages. 

  


"Of course not," murmured Tyrion. "My apologies, Ms. Tarth." 

  


She was conscious of his eyes trained in her direction from time to time, almost as if he were contemplating her, but vowed not to look up from her magazine. After a while he nodded off and started snoring lightly. He was still sleeping when the drinks trolley arrived, and Kyra the flight attendant had to tap him on the shoulder several times before he finally awoke. 


End file.
